


A Christmas To Remember

by AuralAesthetics



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cabin Fic, Christmas, F/M, Fluff, HEA, Snowed In, Strangers to Lovers, Temporary Amnesia, Tiny bit of Angst, there was only one couch
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:13:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27812080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuralAesthetics/pseuds/AuralAesthetics
Summary: When a blizzard ruins Rey's plans to spend Christmas with her best friend Finn, an unlikely stranger appears and ends up brightening her holidays after all.Or: what happens when Ben Solo crashes his car in front of Rey's cabin, develops amnesia, and gets to know our beautiful heroine as they spend Christmas together. Sparks fly, unsurprisingly.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 20
Kudos: 102





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I love Christmas and reylo, so writing this fic has been super fun. This story was actually inspired by an incident that happened with my husband and I. One Christmas we visited his folks who lived on a mountain, and the day we planned to drive home we got stuck up there for half a day since the snowfall made it so dangerous. 
> 
> I hope it puts you in a good mood and lifts your spirits, goodness knows we need more of that these days. Enjoy!

Rey Niima shivered underneath her threadbare woolen coat as she trudged through the heavily falling snow piling up in the Denny's parking lot trying to get to her car. Another night, another stressful waitressing shift in the books. Christmas was only two days away, but she never would have guessed it with the amount of surly and demanding customers and their downright criminal tips that she had to suck up and bear with a grin time after time. 

To top it all off, tonight she'd let her guard down and let herself be bothered by the cold and borderline hostile words of yet another grinch who didn't want to be reminded it was almost Christmas. Rey couldn't explain to herself why his words kept replaying in her head; it was nothing she hadn't heard before. Christmas was her absolute favorite holiday, and she had decided years ago that nothing and no one would ever ruin that for her. Not another Christmas Eve shift, and definitely not a rude stranger whom she'd never lay eyes on again. 

So to say that Rey was annoyed with herself for dwelling on their brief interaction would be an understatement. By the time she unlocked her door and slid behind the wheel she was determined to amp up the Christmas music on the radio and drown out all but the jolliest of thoughts. Unfortunately, the voice of the local meteorologist was the first thing to blare out of her old speakers as she pulled out of the parking lot, and the news wasn't good. 

"This is Rachel Summers here with an update on your local weather forecast. It appears that Winter Storm Padme is already well underway, with most counties having gotten at least 3-4 inches of snowfall so far. I know the plows are working overtime tonight, but please, folks, stay where you are. These are perfect whiteout conditions and the snow is not going to be letting up anytime soon in the next 24 hours. Grab a blanket, cuddle on the couch with that special someone, and just let it snow, let it snow, let it-"

"Nice," Rey muttered to herself as she cut off the radio in annoyance. She had known since yesterday that the storm was coming, but her bank account didn't exactly give her a choice whether or not she could take a night off from work. Before she could turn the radio back on to find some music, the muffled tune of 'The Christmas Song' began playing in her pocket. 

"Finn," Rey sighed in relief as she answered her phone. "Your timing is excellent, I just got off my shift."

Finn had been Rey's best friend since they were teenagers in the same foster home together. When he was 17 he'd finally been adopted into an amazing family, and they all welcomed Rey like she was their own daughter. For the last five years she'd been invited to their house for their Easter egg hunt, Independence Day barbecue, and of course their big Christmas Eve party. 

"Awesome, glad I caught you," Finn said, his tone not quite matching his words. "How was work?"

"Oh you know...the same grouchy customers, the same pathetic tips...but a little girl told me my hair looked really pretty so it wasn't all bad."

"Nice...see, you just have to look at the bright side of things, that's all. Speaking of which...Rey, I kind of have some bad news."

"Oh no...don't tell me. _Please._ "

"I know, and I'm really sorry. My folks have decided to go ahead and cancel the party tomorrow. It's just too dangerous with this blizzard."

Rey let out a long groan. "I should have seen this coming. Great. You know, it's not going to be Christmas without you this year. What am I going to do, watch 'It's a Wonderful Life' with my cat? You know BB can't stand that movie."

Finn chuckled at her last comment. "Hey, I'm bummed about it too. This will be my first Christmas without your famous cheesecake. You know I can't bake."

"That is true. You did almost set your kitchen on fire when you tried to make those brownies two Christmases ago. I swear, you turned them into ash."

"See, exactly!" Finn let out a loud laugh. "I'll probably end up downing a sleeve of Oreos with some milk and calling it a night. It's just pathetic."

Finn then paused a moment, his tone softening to one of concern. "But seriously...are you going to be okay? Do you want to talk tomorrow night for a bit? I hate thinking about you being alone on Christmas."

Rey couldn't help but wince and let out a deep sigh. They were the best of friends, and she knew deep down he would always be there for her, but she just couldn't admit to him that his worried comments were painful to her ears. She loathed being pitied, and it was in moments like these that Finn's words felt smothering. She was fine. Everything would be fine. 

"Thanks, Finn, but I'll be fine, really. I'll probably end up making some pasta and some cookies, have a little wine, it'll be fun. It's fine, it's going to be great," Rey swallowed hard, forcing a smile to her lips.

"Look Finn, uh...the visibility is getting worse out here, so let me just call you Christmas Day, okay? I promise we'll make plans to celebrate when this blizzard clears up. This snow is not going to ruin our plans."

Finn sighed but kept his voice gentle. "Alright then, you drive safe. Text me when you get home, okay?"

"I will. You have a Merry Christmas, Finn."

"You too, Rey. Merry Christmas."

"Love you."

"Love you too. Bye."

Rey hung up before her voice could crack, tears welling up in her eyes. This was ridiculous. She was obviously NOT fine, and she mentally chastised herself for thinking she could even try to fool Finn into thinking otherwise. Before the tears could hit her cheeks Rey rubbed her eyes, trying to keep her vision clear as the snow blew in all directions outside of her windshield.

Driving home in an emotionally compromised state would not be helpful right now. She was still paying off the balance she had put on her credit card for the car parts from her _last_ accident this past Summer. 

As Rey took in some deep breaths to slow her racing heart, all thoughts of Finn, or being alone, or drowning out her sorrows in Christmas songs fell to the wayside as she cautiously approached the bottom of her street. 

Rey lived in an old log cabin that she rented from a retired couple in Florida. It was cramped and in desperate need of new heating and plumbing, but the rent was cheap and it beat sharing an apartment, especially with the five wooded acres in the backyard. It was also perched on the side of a mountain with stunning views of the river valley, but tonight Rey's stomach did somersaults as she looked up the dark, steep road that led to her house.

It was obvious that the plows had not gone up yet, and with their being not a single street lamp on the entire mountain, it would be extremely difficult to see where the road ended and the cavernous ravines began. 

Knowing she would regret it if she didn't, Rey nervously pulled off to the shoulder to mentally run through her options. If she tried to drive up the mountain she might end up in a ditch, or worse, smashed at the bottom of a cliff. If she tried to drive to Finn's house, which was at least 30 minutes away, the snow was only going to get deeper and her chances of getting stranded or getting into an accident only went up. 

After gazing out the windshield one last time at the endless white swirling in front of her, it became apparent that there was really only one choice: she'd have to ascend this godforsaken mountain or she'd end up freezing to death on the side of the road. 

Taking a deep breath and saying a quick prayer she would make it home in one piece, Rey gently pushed the gas and began the long crawl up the winding gravel road. Even though she only maxed out at 15 mph, every moment that she kept moving without sliding or getting stuck kept her courage up and her focus intact. 

After a painstaking 30 minute slog, Rey was practically dancing in her seat as she turned the last bend before the short stretch of road that led to her driveway. Within seconds however her excitement was killed off as she pulled up to her mailbox and gasped at the sight of a black sports car crashed into the side of the ditch that lined her front yard. 

Without thinking Rey threw her shifter into park and ran out into the storm, a million agonizing scenarios running through her head. Her first relief was to see that aside from a semi-crushed hood, the car and its windows were intact, the driver and any passengers obviously still in the vehicle.

As she approached from the rear she looked in the windows and was relieved again to see there was no one in the back seats. There was now only the front seat left to check, and though Rey hoped that whoever was in there would somehow be ok, nothing could have prepared her for what she found.

Slumped across the steering wheel was a cascade of long, dark hair belonging to a very tall and very built young man who was knocked out, his pale face cut and bleeding from the impact. It only took a moment before realization dawned upon her, but when it did her mouth fell wide open, her heart stopping.

_It was him._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a few caveats about this chapter:
> 
> 1) This is not an accurate portrayal of what should be done for someone who's been in a car accident. Unless their car is on fire or they're in danger, you should never attempt to move a person who's been in a crash. Obviously Rey is in some special circumstances, but I just thought I'd put that out there. Also, even if a person seems fine, if they've potentially suffered any injury in a car accident, ALWAYS seek out professional medical help. 
> 
> 2) This is also not an accurate portrayal of post-traumatic brain injury and amnesia. For the sake of my story I decided to make my own rules about Ben's symptoms and recovery, so if you're thinking "Hey, this doesn't seem right, that wouldn't happen" you're probably right! Hopefully it's realistic enough for you that it won't affect your enjoyment of the story.

_Earlier that night..._

_Like clockwork, Rey finished wiping off the table of the family of four that just left their booth only to discover a crumpled up wad of bills that totalled a measly and infuriating $3. It didn't matter that the middle-aged couple with their two kids who spent over $60 on dinner and dessert stiffed her by leaving less than 5% for her tip, because this was going to happen ad infinitum and there was nothing she could do about it. Rey could smile politely until she was blue in the face, but she always left her shifts ever more overworked and underpaid._

_Just as Rey finished cleaning the rest of the booth, Rose, one of the hostesses and Rey's closest friend at Denny's, wordlessly brought over a single male customer, hurriedly placed a menu and a silverware set down, and practically speed walked back to her podium. Noticing this was definitely odd behavior coming from Rose, Rey tucked a few loose strands of her brown hair behind her ear to better see the man's face and was instantly struck dumb._

_He had the body of a very tall Marine, broad and imposing, and he couldn't have been any older than his late twenties. His hair was black and wavy all the way down to his shoulders, a few stray pieces partially covering his hazel eyes. His face was also strangely attractive, with chiseled features and a few beauty marks that couldn't help but capture Rey's attention. As he slid into the booth he gave her a confused look, at which point Rey realized she was gaping. She felt her cheeks turn red as she reflexively put on a smile and dove into her usual spiel, desperately willing her embarrassment to just go away._

_"Hi, welcome to Denny's, my name is Rey. What can I get for you?"_

_The man paused and gave Rey a look she couldn't quite decipher, then abruptly looked away._

_"Uh, I'll start with a coffee, black with no sugar."_

_"Alright, sounds good. Can I get you anything for dinner?"_

_"I'll just have a burger."_

_Rey's cheerful disposition seemed to have no effect on the man as he continued staring off in another direction._

_"Would you like a side of fries with that?"_

_It took a few seconds before he registered what she was saying, but again his reply was a short "no thanks", not even making eye contact._

_Normally Rey would have just finished writing down his order and walked back to the kitchen, but there was something in the man's expression, a mixture of weariness and frustration that Rey just couldn't let go of. Before she could stop herself she made the all too rookie mistake of opening her mouth and sticking her nose in where it didn't belong. She could have kicked herself for it._

_"Is everything ok? I can't help but notice you seem a little sad tonight."_

_At this comment the man jerked his head back towards Rey and crossed his arms, his lips tight and his eyes narrowed._

_"No, no, everything's fine. I'm just sick of hearing every possible version of "Jingle Bell Rock" that's ever been made while I'm trying to relax and enjoy my dinner."_

_Like a fool, Rey couldn't help taking his sarcastic bait and opened her mouth again, raising the stakes even more._

_"What, you don't like Christmas music?" Rey let out a small laugh at the end to help lighten the mood, but it clearly didn't work._

_"No," The man snarled, running his hand through his hair. "In fact, I don't like Christmas, I don't like winter, and I'd appreciate it if you'd just mind your own business, ok? It's been a long day, and the last thing I need is another sanity check from a complete stranger."_

_All of Rey's remaining goodwill had now evaporated, her skin flaming red from embarrassment and anger. There were at least a dozen different things she wanted to retort to make him regret his words, but thankfully her desire to keep her job prevailed, and she coolly closed her mouth and strode back to the kitchen._

_Rose, who had been watching the entire exchange from her podium, now caught up to Rey as she entered the dining room and began cleaning another table._

_"I'm so sorry Rey. I wanted to warn you about that guy. I could tell from the second he walked in that he was just waiting to bite someone's head off."_

_"It's okay, Rose. Guys like him are a dime a dozen around here. Don't worry about me."_

_Looking at Rey continue to wipe the table without even glancing up, Rose wasn't convinced. They'd been working with each other for over a year now, and Rose could tell by the slight tremor in her voice that Rey was hiding something._

_"Rey, I- Darn it, there's the door. I'll have to catch you later. And don't let what that guy said bother you, okay? He's just a Christmas grinch who doesn't deserve any of your thoughts."_

_Rey nodded as Rose walked back over to the podium. Before anyone could see, she hastily wiped her eyes and went back to cleaning the table._

~~~~~~~~~~

The freezing night air helped to rouse Rey out of her shocked stupor as she stared at the rude customer from Denny's lying unconscious in front of her. It couldn't be him. How on earth did this jerk end up crashing his car in front of her house, of all houses, in the middle of the night? 

Rey knew she only had basic first aid training from a babysitting course she took when she was a teenager, but none of that mattered. She tore open his door and started shaking his shoulder, praying he'd wake up.

"Come on, please get up! You can't die right in front of my house. Please," Rey practically whined into his ear. 

As if on cue the man groaned and coughed, weakly opening his eyes. Rey audibly sighed with relief as she made eye contact with him.

"Are you okay? Don't move, I'm going to call an ambulance."

Rey scrambled to get her cellphone out of her pocket, almost dropping it into the snow. Her heart sank when she saw the "no service" icon on her screen. 

"Come on, of all nights for this to happen!" Rey cried out in frustration. Even if she could call 911, she knew the odds of an ambulance successfully making it up _and_ down the mountain and to a hospital tonight were pretty slim. Her options were few. But first, she knew she had to get this man out of the cold and into her house before they both came down with hypothermia.

"Can you move at all? My house is just right behind us, can I help carry you inside?"

"Who- who are you?"

Rey shouldn't have been surprised that he didn't recognize her, but his confusion had her worried.

"I'm Rey," she said earnestly. "We met at Denny's earlier tonight. Can you sit up?"

The confused look on the man's face remained, but he gave her a low "yes" and lifted his head, groaning as he leaned back into his seat.

"Alright, good," Rey sighed, already pleased with his progress. "Now, if you can, try to lean your arms over my shoulders, and I'll lift you out."

He chuckled under his breath but did as he was told, leaning his weight on to her as she gingerly helped to lift him out of the car on to his feet. Suddenly surprised that he was standing there with his chest now only inches from her face, Rey turned to the side and dropped one of her arms, her flushed cheeks melting the falling flakes. 

"Awesome, you're doing great. Let's get to the house. Just take your time."

Without saying another word they shuffled slowly over to the cabin. Rey would never admit it to herself, but carrying the rude Denny's stranger to her house wasn't the worst thing in the world to do in a blizzard. His massive frame _did_ help keep her warm as the freezing snow came down on them. 

On entering the house Rey lowered him on to the couch and went to her closet to find a few extra blankets. Once he was all covered up she grabbed a clean dish towel and wrung it out with warm water to clean the blood off of his face. 

"Do you mind if I wash your face a bit and bandage it up? Apparently you got a pretty nasty cut, there's blood all down your right cheek."

The man didn't even blink at the news. "Yeah, that's fine. Of course it had to be my face."

Rey's face dropped a little, but as she gently wiped the blood away she was relieved to see that instead of a cut, he merely had a long but thin abrasion. It also helped that he didn't wince once.

"Well, I have some good news. Your face doesn't have a cut, so you won't need stitches. But you do have a pretty long abrasion that'll need some antibiotic ointment and a decent size bandage. Let me go get those."

After his face was taken care of Rey put away the dirty towel and first aid kit and sat across from the couch on her loveseat. Now that the stranger was out of any immediate danger, it was time to get some answers. 

"So, my stranger from Denny's...do you have a name?"

He paused and looked away, as if he was genuinely unsure. "My name's Ben."

"Alright Ben, what were you doing driving out in this storm? Do you live on the mountain?"

Again, he paused, but this time his expression turned to one of fear as his eyes met hers.

"I...I don't know." Ben swallowed hard. "I don't remember why I was out driving tonight...and I can't remember where I live. I don't even remember going to Denny's or even seeing you."

"Goodness, Ben, are you serious? What about your birthday, or your last name? Do you remember any of that?"

In that moment he seemed truly lost, and Rey could have sworn she saw his lips quiver.

"No."

As she met his eyes, Rey's heart melted just a little bit more. Whoever Ben was, he was obviously suffering from some form of amnesia from the accident. Despite his terrible behavior back at the restaurant, he needed her help.

The seconds passed, and Ben continued staring at her, his gaze heavy and unwavering. Rey turned her head and cleared her throat, trying to think of what her next step should be. The obvious then dawned on her.

"Wait...you have your wallet and your phone, right?"

Ben reached into his pockets anxiously but there was nothing there. 

"They're gone...I don't know what happened to them."

"Well, you had your wallet at Denny's when you paid for your meal. Maybe you left it on your seat? They're closed now though, and with this blizzard going on I doubt they'll be open tomorrow. We'll just have to wait. I can check your car in the morning to see if it's in there with your phone too."

"In the morning?" Ben asked, a curious smile teasing at the corners of his mouth.

Rey rolled her eyes but couldn't help grinning back. "I can't exactly turn you out in this weather now, can I? The couch will do for tonight. By the way, how does your head feel? I need to know if I should start getting worried about you."

"It's probably the worst headache I've had in a long time, but I'll let you know if it gets worse. I'm just really sore all over right now."

"You need to get some rest. I'll go get the ibuprofen and a pillow."

Ben nodded, a sheepish look on his face. "Thank you...

"Rey."

"Rey." Ben's face now broke out into a full toothy grin. "I don't know what I would have done without you. Probably would have froze to death in my car. Thanks for bringing me inside and letting me crash on your couch. Sorry, forgive the pun," he chuckled.

"You're welcome, Ben. I'm just glad I was here to save you."

Gosh, his smile is so beautiful, Rey thought as she got up and walked towards her room to get his things. If she wasn't careful, she reminded herself sternly, it was going to get her into a whole mess of trouble.


	3. Chapter 3

As Rey cracked open her eyes in bed the next morning, two thoughts immediately sprung into her head: it was finally Christmas Eve, and there was a strange man named Ben sleeping on her couch in the next room. Even now it was somewhat hard for her to believe that it wasn't a crazy dream, if not for the missing pillow from her bed. Grabbing her phone from her nightstand Rey saw that it was 9:30, later than she normally got up. She didn't want to risk waking Ben, but her stomach started growling and it wouldn't be long before the nausea kicked in. 

Putting on her white terry cloth robe over her pajamas, Rey snuck quietly out to the kitchen, tiptoeing through the living room so as to not wake the slumbering giant on her couch. She practically jumped when she heard a deep laugh coming from behind her.

"Thanks for being considerate, but I've actually been awake for a while now." 

Rey turned around, taking a deep breath to slow her racing heart. "I'm glad you're up. I was hoping I wouldn't find you cold under your blanket this morning."

"Me too. I'm pretty sure my plans this week didn't include dying in someone else's house."

It was becoming increasingly obvious that Ben had a very dry sense of humor, which Rey didn't mind as it seemed to suit her own. 

"I'm sure," she said, walking towards the kitchen. "I was about to make some breakfast. How does bacon and scrambled eggs with toast sound?"

"Sounds amazing, actually. I feel ravenous."

"I figured you would be. How's your head doing, by the way?" Rey asked as she rummaged through the fridge.

"It's still pretty sore, but no worse than last night. I'm going to need some more ibuprofen though."

"Of course. Luckily I just bought a bottle last week."

When breakfast was ready Rey brought two plates out into the living room and sat across from Ben as she did last night, noticing for the first time in the bright morning sun that he was wearing a black sweater and dark wash jeans with black leather boots. She let him eat in peace for a few minutes before getting down to business.

"So, Ben," Rey started gingerly, putting her fork down, "have any of your memories come back to you yet?"

Ben looked down at his plate in embarrassment, running his hand through his hair. "I wish I could say I remember something, but I don't. Everything from before the accident is still so hazy. I've had a few glimpses of memories come back, but they're just snatches of images, nothing clear."

Rey nodded sympathetically. "After you're done with breakfast I'll take a trip out to your car to see if I can find anything. In the meantime...I left my sink full of dishes last night, so I'll quickly get changed and then wash those up and get the kitchen ready for later."

"Here, I can help you," Ben offered as he tossed his blanket to the side and stood up.

"No, no, you don't have to do that," Rey said in a raised voice, attempting to shoo him back to the couch. "You were just in a car accident last night and have suffered memory loss. You're in no condition to be helping me right now." 

"Besides," Rey said, her voice softening, "you're my guest, and it's Christmas Eve."

"Christmas Eve?! You've got to be kidding me. Wow, I must have hit my head harder than I thought."

"See, I knew-"

"Rey, please, just relax." Ben chuckled, rolling his eyes. "I'm not exactly happy that I've lost my past memories, but the ibuprofen seems to be kicking in, and I'm feeling well enough that I'm not going to be stuck lying on your couch all day long. If it makes you feel better, I'll just sit at the table instead."

Rey pursed her lips. She knew this was a losing battle, but at least he was attempting to be reasonable, if not for himself, at least for her.

"Well, since I can't make you stay on the couch, you may sit at the kitchen table. But _only_ to observe. No helping."

"Promise." Ben grinned, flashing another gorgeous smile that did funny things to Rey's stomach, leaving her speechless as she darted over to her room to get changed. 

~~~~~~~~~~

"What do you think I should use, the dark chocolate or the white chocolate?"

"Definitely the dark. Who buys white chocolate?"

"Good choice. But for your information, I do. I happen to like white chocolate and macadamia nut cookies," Rey sniffed.

"Eh, I'll give those a pass. Nothing beats the dark."

"Says you," Rey teased. "The sweeter the better, I say."

Rey had changed into her jeans and her purple "Sugar Plum Queen" long sleeve shirt, her favorite baking ensemble. With not a lot of time to prepare and no chance to go shopping, she had decided to keep dinner tonight relatively simple, but nice. After running some ideas by Ben, Rey had decided on spaghetti with homemade meatballs, salad, and a bottle of pinot noir that she'd brought home from Finn's Halloween party, with chocolate chip cookies and egg nog for dessert. She was now baking the cookies and would start dinner at around 4. 

Rey had just finished mixing the chocolate chips into the cookie batter and was digging through her utensil drawer when Ben got up from the table and stood next to her, leaning on the counter.

"Mind if I grab a spoon and help?"

Rey rolled her eyes, but a part of her was secretly pleased. "You promised, Ben. Are you absolutely sure you'll be okay? I'll be just fine doing this by myself, you know."

"I'm sure," he said simply, staring at her earnestly. "Trust me."

Rey pursed her lips again for effect, but she silently handed him a spoon and together they spent the next few minutes filling the cookie sheet.

"So, Rey," Ben spoke up, "I know you don't know anything about me, but you haven't exactly told me much about yourself yet either. So far all I know is that you live in a cabin on a mountain and you're pretty good at rescuing people from car accidents."

"Not _that_ good, but I try," Rey smirked for a second, then sighed. "I'm afraid if you've come looking for something sensational, you're not going to find it."

She paused for a moment before clearing her throat and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "To make a long story short, I grew up in the foster care system, my parents died when I was a baby. I eventually aged out but I stayed close to one of my foster brothers, Finn. I was going to go to his house for Christmas this year, but his family cancelled the party and...well here we are."

"Like I said last night, I work nights as a waitress at Denny's, but I also work weekdays as a mechanic at Solo Auto Care. I'm trying to put myself through school at Skywalker University. I'd like to get my degree in mechanical engineering. Maybe help design for Ferrari someday, I don't know."

Ben's eyes almost seemed to bug out in surprise, his mouth falling open a little. "Wow, that's...actually really impressive, Rey. Growing up in foster care, working two jobs to get your degree... I'm truly impressed. I wouldn't call that unsensational at all. You shouldn't either."

Rey looked down, her cheeks flushing again. She was not used to receiving compliments, especially from handsome rescues. "Well, thank you, Ben. I don't talk about my life very much with anyone else, so it's nice hearing affirmation from a stranger."

"Am I still a stranger?" Ben asked cautiously, putting down his spoon. "I'd kind of hoped we'd moved past that stage already."

As Rey met his gaze she began to stare skeptically into his gentle eyes, wondering how the rude customer at Denny's who'd made her cry could really be this kind, funny, and genuinely charming man. She didn't know if his head injury had anything to do with it, but she hoped that this warm version of Ben was going to outlast the freezing blizzard outside.

Rey must have been staring just a little too long, since he then cocked his head to the side and gave her a quizzical look.

"Um, no, I'd say you're right. We're definitely not strangers anymore." Breaking eye contact and looking to deflect the conversation to something else, Rey looked down at the full cookie tray and put her spoon into the mixing bowl, pushing it aside. "Well, the cookies are ready to go in. How does a mug of hot chocolate sound?"


	4. Chapter 4

Rey forgot all about trekking out to Ben's car to find his things. As the snow piled up higher and higher against the door, all thoughts of leaving her warm house were left behind as she and Ben spent the rest of the afternoon watching movies, playing board games, and keeping the fire in the living room chimney stoked while Rey carried the logs in from her wood shelter at the back of the cabin.

Apparently, Ben was a master at chess and checkers, but Rey had the upper hand at Monopoly. 

"Come on now, this is the fourth time I've landed on one of your railroads, something's not right here. I'm going absolutely broke."

"See, I knew what I was doing when I got you to trade Reading and Pennsylvania to me. All's fair in love and war. Now stop whining and give me my money," Rey smirked triumphantly, holding out her open hand.

Ben reached into his dwindling pile of Monopoly money on Rey's table and grabbed a few hundred dollar bills, but before Rey could snatch them up a mischievous smile grew on Ben's lips, and he started fanning the cash in an exaggerated fashion near his face.

"What are you doing?" Rey laughed.

"Oh, nothing."

"Ben, just hand it over," Rey said, rolling her eyes, though she couldn't suppress a small grin from showing.

"If you want it, then..." 

"No."

"I guess the money will just have to stay with me then. That's too bad."

"You're going to regret this," Rey threatened as she giggled, pushing her chair back.

Of course Ben anticipated her, both of them standing up out of their chairs simultaneously, a wicked grin on his face that drove Rey crazy. The table was round, so when she pivoted to her left he pivoted to his left, and vice versa, both stubbornly circling the table. For about half a minute they were at a complete stalemate until Rey had had enough and chased Ben out of the kitchen into the living room. He was at least 6 feet tall and was a tremendous runner, but Rey was determined. 

She ran him down towards the Christmas tree hoping to trap him against the wall, but at the last second he turned and did a tiger leap over her coffee table, buying him enough time to dash back into the kitchen as Rey stared aghast, albeit impressed. 

As Ben paused to consider his next maneuver he glanced towards her bedroom, obviously contemplating a possible diversion. It didn't take more than a second for Rey to catch on and cut off his escape, shouting across the house "Oh no, we are _not_ going in there. No way, don't even think about it hotshot. That room is off limits."

He gave her another devilish grin and shot back "Don't worry, I still have a pretty good advantage from over here. I have to admit though, I'm a little disappointed. I was expecting much more of a challenge from you."

That was the final straw. Scrunching her nose and gritting her teeth, Rey charged towards the kitchen as fast as she could, cornering him between the fridge and the table before he could find safety. 

"Alright Forrest, the game's up. You're cornered now. Hand it over," Rey exulted, catching her breath as she leaned against the table.

"You know, I _am_ taller than you. My arms can reach pretty high." Ben seemed to gloat, crossing his arms behind his head.

Rey rolled her eyes even harder, but it only took a second for a clever thought to sneak into her head and change her mind. Putting her hands up in resignation, she admitted her defeat and called for a peaceful truce.

"Alright Ben, you win. I don't think I can wrangle the money away from you. But I do propose a compromise."

"A compromise?" Ben asked suspiciously, one of his eyebrows quirking up.

"Yes, a deal. You give me the money you owe me, and I'll give you Reading and Pennsylvania."

"Hmm..." Ben hummed, stroking his chin and narrowing his eyes, pretending to mull it over. "Alright, I'll take it, but only if you give me the properties first."

Rey smiled sweetly, slowly picking up the two cards and holding them in her outstretched hand. "Deal."

Ben should have known something was up, but it was too late. As soon as he reached his hand out to take the railroads Rey dropped the cards and grabbed his arm, pulling him against her and wresting the money from his other hand before he could even react. 

"Challenged yet?" Rey taunted in a low voice, still holding on to his arm.

His look of surprise instantly turned to one of curious admiration as they stared each other down, their faces practically grazing. As the seconds ticked away his warm gaze never wavered, and the rush of adrenaline Rey felt at retrieving her stolen prize was soon replaced by a different kind of rush. Her skin felt hot all over, chills rushing up her spine as Ben's generous eyes seemed to swallow her whole in them. To Rey it felt like minutes, but only a few moments passed before Ben took a step back and cleared his throat, his cheeks also flushed.

"Touche," he chuckled, putting his hands up in defeat.

Rey could only relax her grip off of his arm, grinning nervously at the ground as she slid back into her seat as Ben followed suit, adjusting his sweater as he tried to catch his breath. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Ben willingly relinquished his rights to the two railroads, and as he expected Rey whipped him soundly, making him mortgage every property until he didn't have a cent to his name. By then the light of the day was starting to fade, the snow still falling as heavily as ever. 

"Good game, stranger," Rey teased, "but I'm afraid the real work is about to begin. It's well past 4 already. Do you think you're up for it?"

"Of course," Ben cried with mock indignation. "What kind of guest would I be if I just sat around and waited for you to feed me? Don't insult me," he said, pointing his index finger at her.

"Okay, okay," Rey couldn't help but laugh, putting her hands up. "You win this one. Go get an apron out of the drawer next to the fridge."

"Yes ma'am," Ben said in a thick drawl, nodding his head as he made his way over. "Oh thank goodness, they're black."

"Why, what did you think they might be?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe pink with ruffles all over it or something."

Rey laughed out loud, covering her mouth. "These are hardcore restaurant aprons. There _are_ a few perks to working in food service, you know."

As Ben finished tying his apron behind his back, Rey gave out a low whistle. "These things are pretty ugly, but you make it look darn good."

Ben's entire face turned beet red, and again he did his telltale embarrassed gesture of raking his hand through his hair. 

"I'm, uh-"

"I'm sorry," Rey cut him off, feeling increasingly embarrassed she might have crossed another line between them. "Forget what I said. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, I just-" 

"No, I'm...I'm flattered, Rey. Really."

"Good," Rey exhaled, her relief visible on her face. "Because I wouldn't want things to be awkward between us. You are sleeping on my couch tonight after all."

Ben's honest response took her by surprise. "You could never make things awkward between us, Rey."

Again, Ben had somehow rendered Rey completely speechless, but this time there was nothing awkward about the ensuing silence that filled the room as she put her apron on after him.

To Rey's great delight, Ben was the perfect cooking partner she never knew she needed. While he prepared the meatballs and made the tomato sauce(he insisted), Rey cooked the spaghetti and chopped up the salad, and time seemed to fly as less than an hour later the table was dressed, the wine glasses filled, and dinner was served. Rey had found a red tablecloth and a pair of pewter candlesticks at a vintage second-hand store a few months ago, so she had those set out with her tall white peppermint scented candles lit to make dinner a little more "Christmas-y". After saying grace, Rey started the conversation by thanking her guest. 

"I just want to say thank you again for helping me with dinner. You didn't have to, but it was really nice working together to get it done. In fact," Rey paused, hoping she wasn't blushing, "I'm really glad you're here. I wish you hadn't crashed your car and lost your memory, but you did, and because of it this has probably been one of the best Christmases I've ever had."

"Really?" Ben asked, his tone a bit incredulous but his face lit up with a smile.

"Really," she reassured him, smiling back.

"Thank you, Rey," he said, lowering his tone and looking a bit more serious in the glow of the candlelight, "I've had a wonderful day too."

The sudden change in atmosphere Rey felt in the air led her to pick up her wine glass and hold it up high to make a toast, which Ben eagerly reciprocated.

"Here's to Christmas, and unexpected guests."

"To Christmas," Ben concurred, "and to you."

Rey could only blush and stare into the bottom of the glass as she took a very large sip of her wine.

~~~~~~~~~~

Rey's simple spaghetti dinner that she thought up on the fly turned into a perfectly beautiful meal that she wouldn't have traded for the world. Though she had made this recipe before, Ben had a deft hand at cooking, and the meatballs with the fresh sauce were almost divine. She was enjoying the food so much that she didn't realize she was eating twice as fast as he was.

"Ben, this is fantastic," Rey exclaimed after spearing another meatball into her mouth. "You somehow managed to make these even better than I do."

"Well, thank you, I did slave away all afternoon on those," Ben teased before taking another sip of wine. "But really, it wasn't much work. I'm glad you like them. What do you normally have on Christmas Eve?"

Rey took a quick breath in suddenly remembering Finn. She was brought back to last year, when she'd had such a good time at his party that she didn't leave until 1:00am. 

"Finn's parents always make the best food for Christmas. They go all out; a giant roast beef, endless shrimp, glazed ham, even lobster some years, and at least a dozen pies. But since I love to bake I always bring a homemade cheesecake. Unfortunately I put off buying all the ingredients I needed until the last minute, which is why I made the cookies instead."

"That all sounds amazing. Tell me more about this party."

Rey took another sip of wine, smiling over the rim of her glass. Ben didn't have to ask twice to get her to launch into telling her favorite stories from the last five years. There were the musical performances by Finn's younger cousins that somehow always brought tears to her eyes, Finn's uncle who would sneak behind the house and ring sleigh bells to convince the children that Santa Claus was on his way, and the grand tradition of opening up the presents, an hour long affair starting with the youngest, all the way up to Finn's grandparents. 

As Rey waxed on, Ben put his fork down and laced his fingers together, delighted with the exuberance with which Rey told her tales, sheer joy lighting up her face. As the stories wound down though, Rey's demeanor changed, her smile fading.

"Finn is like a brother, really. If it weren't for him, I'd probably be alone every Christmas. I was, until I met him. Somehow I'm scared that one day things are going to change and I'll be left behind again."

Ben looked away, scowling. "Everyone deserves a family. I only hope that my Christmases will be as wonderful as yours seem to be. No matter what happens, I hope somehow you'll always be a part of them too."

Ben then looked up, catching her shining eyes with his. "I care about you, Rey. You're not alone."

His declaration left her breathless. She never expected him to say this, but here she was, and she could no longer live in denial of the strong desire that she felt for the man sitting across from her in the candlelight. All day long it had been slowly growing, with every laugh, every touch, every genuine act of kindness and care that he showed her. Even in moments when he teased her, she had felt wanted, needed like she never had before. In a moment of bravery and desperation, Rey reached her trembling hand out, grasping his tightly.

"Neither are you," Rey choked out, her voice starting to break.

As if attracted by magnetic force, Ben's other hand instantly found hers, and together they sat holding on to each other from across the table, no words needing to be spoken. Somehow their tear-filled eyes spoke more volumes than words ever could. The seconds soon turned to minutes, and it wasn't until Rey's wall clock chimed on the hour that the spell was broken, and she released his hands in surprise. 

"Oh wow, I can't believe it's already 7:00. This whole day has just flown by."

Ben's gaze never left hers as he nodded his head. "Yes, it has. Do you know what I'm thinking?"

"No, what?"

"I'm thinking it's time we broke out those chocolate chip cookies you made, because they looked absolutely delicious."

A giant smile chased away any remaining shadows left on Rey's face, and a spirit of playfulness bubbled back up inside of her. "I totally agree. You go and fill up a plate, and I'll go pour a couple glasses of eggnog to go with it. I'll meet you on the couch."

While Ben was serving up the cookies Rey went to her room and fetched a large blanket for the couch. By the time she brought over the glasses of eggnog, Ben was happily tucked under the blanket, waiting for her.

"So, since I'm not quite ready to call it a night just yet, I was thinking watching a Christmas movie together would be a perfect way to end the festivities." Without revealing her choice, Rey walked over to her movie shelf, grabbed a title, and put it into her player. As the intro credits came on, Rey looked for a sign of recognition on Ben's face, but there was none.

"Have you seen this one?"

Ben shrugged sheepishly. "No, I can't say I have."

Rey wasn't the least bit bothered by this. "Perfect," she said, matter-of-factly. "Now you can enjoy my favourite Christmas movie like it's the first time. I will not spoil it for you."

When Rey sat down she slid all the way over to Ben's side, cuddling up against him as she snuggled under the blanket. Without skipping a beat he wrapped his arm around her, and they both settled into watching the movie, her head resting against his. For the first 15 minutes all was quiet as the TV blared, but eventually Ben spoke up, his wandering curiosity about the beautiful woman in his arms getting the better of him.

"You know Rey, there's something I've been wondering about how you said you knew me. You said we met at Denny's, right? Were you my server?" 

Rey's stomach dropped. This was the last thing she wanted to discuss with him in this perfect moment.

"Uh, yeah," she said casually, hoping he would take the hint and just drop the subject. 

"Wow," he whistled, "how I could have forgotten you is incredible to me."

Thrust back into the painful and embarrassing memory of their first meeting, Rey could feel her eyes stinging. She was going to say nothing and let the conversation die, but she couldn't help whispering under her breath.

"No, it's not."

"What?" Ben turned to face her, confusion contorting his face. "What do you mean?"

"You're not going to like what I have to say," Rey warned, looking back at the TV. 

Ben never took his eyes off of her, and it was like she could feel them touching her, searching to find a resolution. "Rey, whatever it is, please just tell me. I can see that it's upsetting you. I want to know the truth." His words were calm, but his voice was rough and unsettled.

Rey took a deep breath, carefully considering her words. "I don't know what was going on in your life last night, but you were cold from the minute you walked into the restaurant. You had no interest in talking to me."

"Really? What did I say, what happened?"

"Just...You were just really short and disinterested when you were ordering, and when I tried asking if you were okay since you seemed upset, you made it very clear that you hated Christmas and wanted nothing more than for me to mind my own business and leave you alone."

Rey turned to him, and was instantly taken aback by the pain in his eyes. She could tell that the truth had wounded him, and in turn this wounded her. Her cheeks began to burn with regret, and never more did she wish that for once she could take back her words.

"Ben, just forget what I said. I don't know why I brought it up, it doesn't even matter. All that matters to me now is the man that I got to know today, the man who loves Christmas and who's shown me nothing but kindness. The man that I've-"

Rey stopped, afraid to finish. This was territory she'd never entered before, and she knew that if he didn't return her feelings, there was no going back. But then, as if on cue, when she saw Ben's eyes soften, a relieved smile growing on his face, she thoughtlessly threw all caution to the wind, opening her heart and laying everything on the line.

"The man that I've fallen in love with."

To her great surprise, Ben took both her hands, and without saying a word leaned in and gently brushed her lips with his. Slowly he kissed her tenderly, eagerly, and in no time his hands reached up to cradle her face as she wrapped her fingers around his neck, both of them desperately holding on to each other. To Rey's disappointment Ben pulled back after just a few minutes, but he kept her face in his hands as he sighed and rested his forehead on hers.

"Rey, I don't know who that jerk was that treated you so badly, but I do know this: I promise I'll never hurt you. I want to give the world to you, Rey. I love you." 

Rey could no longer keep the tears from falling down her face, but Ben was more than happy to gently kiss each droplet on to his lips, caressing her cheeks as he went.

"Merry Christmas, Rey," Ben softly whispered into her ear.

Rey relaxed into his hands, knowing that this was a Christmas she would never ever forget.

"Merry Christmas, Ben."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, only one more chapter before these two get their happy ending! There's a little bit of angst in this chapter, but it gets resolved pretty quickly. I can't say enough how much I appreciate all the hits, kudos, and comments I've gotten for this fic. I hope you all enjoy the ending coming soon!

It was the early morning light streaming in through the window that first roused Rey from the best night's sleep she'd ever had. Blinking a few times and smiling to herself, Rey reached out to close the blinds, only to find that the window was halfway across the room, and her head was resting on a wool sweater framing a solid wall of warm skin and muscle. She couldn't help jolting back in surprise, the events of last night rushing back to her, which caused the arm wrapped around her waist to squeeze a little tighter. Looking down, Rey was met by a pair of warm hazel eyes smiling up at her.

"Why, good morning sweetheart," Ben murmured sleepily, kissing the top of her head. "This is a nice surprise. I thought you were going to go back to your bed last night."

Rey ducked her head down into his chest, faking embarrassment. "I know I said just five more minutes...but can you really blame me?" Rey bat her eyelashes innocently, causing Ben to break into a laugh.

"No, I can't. I didn't want you to go either. I guess it's my fault that you fell asleep on me." 

"Of course," Rey agreed, gently brushing a strand of his strangely attractive disheveled morning hair out of his eyes. The simple gesture of her touch somehow arrested Ben, and Rey didn't waste a moment in capturing his lips in a thorough kiss as she ran her fingers through the rest of his long locks.

"Merry Christmas morning, Ben," she smiled against his lips, savoring the smell and feel of his soft skin. 

"Merry Christmas morning to you too, Rey," Ben said playfully, returning her heart-racing kiss with one of his own, pulling her tightly against him. 

By the end of that kiss they were both flushed and fully awake, but Ben had no intention of moving away from Rey and the cozy cocoon of the couch. He leaned over to give her another kiss, but it was in that moment that her stomach chose to gurgle loudly, killing the romance.

"Sorry Ben, I guess I'm starving," Rey giggled as she pushed the blankets aside and sat up, stretching her arms.

"Me too," Ben said somewhat suggestively, pulling his shirt down a little.

Rey smiled and stood up, pretending she didn't hear him. "Let's go get some breakfast. I was thinking we could- hey, look outside, it's finally stopped snowing!" Rey ran excitedly to the nearest window, pressing up against the glass. "I was beginning to think it would never end. Oh my goodness, and the streets are plowed too. It's like a Christmas miracle."

Ben didn't seem too enthused about it. "It is," he agreed, but Rey noticed that he hesitated, his smile a weak shadow of the ones he always gave before. 

"Is there something wrong?" Rey asked gently, confused from his sudden mood change.

Ben rubbed his neck, feeling slightly embarrassed. "No, nothing's wrong, really, it's just... maybe I'm being foolish. I just don't want any of this to end. I'm not ready to leave you and go back to the real world just yet."

Rey walked back over to Ben and wrapped her arms around his neck, kneeling on his lap.

"I know, me too. It's been wonderful being with you."

Unconsciously Rey began toying with his hair, wrapping it around her fingers. "But we both knew this time was coming. You probably have family that's worried about you. And, I kind of have to admit, there's plenty more about you that I'd love to get to know. You know, eventually," Rey joked, sliding her hands to his face and tentatively stroking his right cheek with her thumb across his new wound, not wanting to hurt him.

Ben leaned into her hand, closing his eyes and lifting her right palm to his lips before pulling her closer into a slow, deep kiss that neither of them wanted to end.

~~~~~~~~~~

After a filling breakfast of her favorite white chocolate chip pancakes, Rey grabbed a shovel and an ice scraper and threw on an old pair of snow pants with her coat and gloves to make the trek out to Ben's busted up car. In the daylight with all the snow cleared off, it was a lot easier to see the damage that the front had sustained.

Yep, he was definitely going to have to get it towed to a mechanic's shop, there was no getting around it with that bent fender and broken light socket. Fortunately, she knew just the place to get it done.

Once she'd broken the ice off the driver's side handle Rey unlocked the door and leaned in to find any of Ben's personal affects. The interior was smooth black leather, a detail she had to admit she was jealous of. Unlike her car, it was empty and immaculately clean, so it took no time at all to spot his cell phone and wallet on the edge of the passenger seat up against the door.

Rey practically shrieked with joy at the discovery, and without thinking opened his wallet to find his license, relieved for Ben's sake to finally solve the mystery of his identity. Her hand had barely touched the card however when it suddenly froze in place, a familiar name and face staring back at her.

_Ben Solo._

_His name was Benjamin Solo._

There was no mistaking it. He was the son of Han Solo, the owner of Solo Auto Care, Rey's boss. She'd heard Han mention having a son named Ben, and that they didn't have the best relationship. Now that she thought about, it they did have the same warm eyes, the same rogueish grin, but she'd never put the two pieces together and it could have knocked her over.

He lived on the same street, only a little further up the mountain, and somehow in all the months she'd lived in the cabin they'd never met. Sitting down in the driver's seat, Rey closed the door and pulled out her cellphone, thrilled at her sudden stroke of good luck.

~~~~~~~~~~

"I have a surprise for you," Rey murmured into Ben's ear as she wrapped her arms around his waist. In exchange for clearing out the snow on his car, Ben was at the sink washing the last of the breakfast dishes. 

"Oh?" he asked cautiously, his voice strangely devoid of any enthusiasm as he continued scrubbing a skillet. 

This was not the reaction Rey was expecting from a man who'd lost his memory. It was only after she loosened her arms from around his waist that he even turned around to face her. She tried fishing a little bit more to see what he'd do.

"Yeah, I have some good news about your family."

It was at this point that she expected at the very least the tiniest of reactions, even a hint of curiosity, but he had none. His face was an immovable stone, and it made Rey sick to her stomach and want to run.

"Ben, I...I don't understand," she began to gesture frantically. "I thought you'd be happy about this. Don't you want to know who you are?"

Again, his expression did not change, but seeing Rey's anxiousness he reached out and held her shoulders to try to calm her down.

"Tell me," he said simply, gently rubbing her arms.

That was it. It all dawned on her now, and the shock of the adrenaline rush hit as hard as if she'd been punched in the gut. Anger, shock, hurt, and disbelief burned in her veins, and the questions and accusations came hard and fast as she recoiled from his touch.

"Oh my gosh, you knew, didn't you? I can't believe this...You lied to me. How could you, Ben? All this time I've been thinking that your memory was lost, yet all along you've just been pretending to-" 

"Rey, I wasn't pretending, I swear," Ben cut in, his impassive expression quickly changing to fear. He took a step closer, but Rey instinctively took a step back and put her hands up to stop him.

"Ben, I need the truth. How can I trust you now? How can I trust anything you say?"

"Please Rey, it's not like that. I never meant to lie to you. Please just let me explain," Ben's voice cracked on the last word as he struggled to remain calm, his chest visibly heaving.

Rey opened her mouth to protest, but the memory of her lingering feelings for him came back to the surface, and she closed her lips to at least give him a chance. 

"Rey, when you found me confused and took me in, I wasn't lying to you. All my memories, they were gone. It wasn't until the next day that any of them even started coming back."

"When was this?"

"It was when we were making cookies. You mentioned where you worked. When I heard 'Solo Auto Care', it was like a light had switched on, and detail after detail started coming back. I remembered Han, and my mother, and the garage...and the horrible fight we had at their house the night before."

"But Rey, I swear, I don't remember what happened after I left. I don't remember driving to Denny's, or even seeing you. When I realized who I was, when those memories returned, to say I was unhappy would be an understatement. I knew that once I told you my name, you'd start asking me questions that I didn't want to answer. It was only a matter of time before you found everything out... I just wanted to live in our own private world for a little bit longer."

Ben swallowed hard, and Rey could see a glassy sheen in his determined eyes that wasn't there before.

"You're the best revelation I never knew I needed, Rey. I don't want to lose you."

Ben had been slowly approaching Rey as he spoke, and now he was close enough to take hold of her hands, deftly caressing them with his thumbs, a gesture that Rey could not help but melt at. She thought he looked as stricken as she felt, and between his beseeching eyes and gentle touches she could feel the dam of her emotions begin to crumble behind her eyes as the tears broke through. 

"But I still don't understand," Rey said softly, ignoring her soaked cheeks. "Why didn't you want to tell me about your parents?"

"Rey...it's kind of complicated. There's a lot of history between us...the fight we had before I crashed...I...

"What happened that night, Ben? Tell me, please."

His face fell, his eyes reflecting the weight of a past that dragged his spirit down with it. Biting his lower lip, he looked at Rey's hands to steel himself from the pain as he poured out his heart.

"My parents...we've had problems for as long as I can remember. They were both workaholics; Leia was a state senator, and Han...well, you know his history of racing, and starting the garage. I was a typical latchkey kid growing up, always feeling like I never quite fit in with my own family. Han tried in his own way I guess, but...there was always this distance, and it only got worse around the holidays. Because they were both always working, Christmas was always a let-down. I remember most Christmases were spent either waiting for Leia to get off the phone half of the day, or missing Han because he'd be out of state on some promotional business for his brand."

Ben stopped to take a deep breath and apologize. "I'm sorry, this is not what you asked to hear."

"No, you're fine," Rey murmured reassuringly, lifting one of his hands to her lips. "Please, keep going."

He gave Rey a bittersweet smile in gratitude before continuing on. 

"Two nights ago, I was invited to their house for dinner. Han said he had some news that he wanted to share with me. Everything started off calm enough, but after Han had a few beers in him he was back to his same old shit. Somehow we got to talking about the garage, and like clockwork he was arguing with me about it, telling me he wanted to offer me ownership when he retires next year. He's been wanting me to work under him for a decade now. At university I got my MBA, and he mocked me for it the entire time I was in school, saying it was a waste of money." 

"I turned his offer down, but then I made the mistake of telling him I was thinking of moving to New York City, and that's when everything blew up. We both said things we didn't mean, I told him I wasn't coming over on Christmas, and then I stormed out of the house and left."

"Oh, Ben," Rey sighed. "I'm so sorry."

"Eh...don't be," Ben shrugged dismissively. "It's nothing I haven't dealt with before. I guess I just never learn."

"Never learn what?"

Ben took a long pause, his face a mask of stoic resignation. "We're never going to get along. And it's time I stopped trying."

"What?"

"Nothing ever changes, Rey. I've been dealing with this my whole life. It's time to just cut ties. I don't need this, we don't need this. We can have a fresh start."

"A fresh start?" Rey asked, her voice begining to raise. "You mean go to New York?"

Ben nodded, hopefulness in his voice. "Yes, if you want to."

Rey looked away and dropped his hands, incredulous and confused at the sudden turn the conversation had taken. 

"Ben, I...just hold on a second. I can't go to New York."

"Why not?"

"It's all too soon. I'm halfway through school right now, I just got a raise at work; the timing is just all wrong. And you can't just leave your parents like that, Ben."

"What do you mean I can't?" he said with a new edge to his voice.

"They clearly care about you and want you in their lives. Don't just walk away from that."

"It's not that simple, Rey," Ben huffed loudly, raking his hair. "You haven't had to live with this your whole life. You don't know what you're saying." Without thinking he had struck a deep nerve, and Rey wasn't going to let him off the hook.

"Oh, I don't?" she raised her voice further, crossing her arms and staring him down. "I never knew my parents. I've spent my whole life wishing I had them. I would give anything to be in your shoes! I know Han and Leia aren't perfect, but at least you have another chance! Don't give in to the temptation that it's too late. It's never too late."

Ben sighed and started shaking his head, but Rey wouldn't give up. Gently but firmly she grasped his face and pulled him down, crushing her lips to his, pouring every bit of love that she felt for him into it. To her great relief Ben didn't skip a beat, picking her up by the legs so that they'd wrap around his waist. It was a long few minutes before Rey reluctantly pulled away, gasping for breath. 

"Just say you'll think about it, please," she panted into his lips, hoping to seal the deal of changing his mind. "You don't want to look back at your life and have any regrets."

There was a long pause, but Ben slowly began to smile again, murmuring "of course," as he leaned his head on her shoulder and pulled her close in a tender embrace. All was silent except for their heavy breathing, and Rey could feel Ben begin to relax as he rested in her arms. She hated to break the tranquility of the moment, but there was more he needed to know.

"Ben," she said, raising her head to meet his eyes, "there's something I need to tell you." Rey took a deep breath, slowly stroking his hair.

"When I went out to your car and found your wallet and phone, I made a call. To your dad. He was shocked but very happy when I told him you were here."

She stopped to assess his reaction to this news, and was pleased to see he didn't look mad, only a bit incredulous.

"I told him you were ok, and that I was going to call Tony to come get his car towed to the garage, but he wouldn't hear of it. He insisted that he take care of the arrangements, and then asked if he could come over here today with Leia to see you."

Ben raised an eyebrow, but he let her finish.

"I couldn't say no. He seemed so excited, I didn't want to turn him and your mother away. They're on their way now."

Ben's mouth fell open in shock, but Rey could see a twinge of a smile peeking from the corners of his mouth. 

"You're loving this, aren't you?" he said drily.

"You bet," she chuckled loudly, merely kissing him hard on the cheek from happiness.


	6. Chapter 6

Less than half an hour passed while Rey and Ben watched another Christmas movie before they heard a couple of short raps from the front door echoing in the hall. 

"Are you ready?" she asked, a hint of nervousness in her voice betraying her as they got up from the couch and walked hand in hand to go open it.

Ben couldn't hide the pain in his eyes, but she could see that his resolve never wavered as he squeezed her hand and gave her a soft peck on the cheek.

"Yes."

Ben's gentle touch seemed to ease the fluttering in Rey's stomach, and by the time she reached the doorknob she'd pushed her fears to the side, determined to stand by Ben's side no matter what. Opening the door, it was immediately apparent that her courage was not going to be necessary. 

Waiting under the overhang stood a couple so physically altered, so aged in the past week, Rey almost didn't recognize them. Gone was Han's good-natured smirk, Leia's imperial eye. All she could see were the care-worn faces of two broken down parents filled with grief over the disappearance of their son and their desperation for a reconciliation. Even Ben looked surprised, his eyes glancing over them in shock. 

No sooner had Ben locked eyes with Han did the old man cry out his name with a sob, lunging towards him to pull him into a hug. It brought tears to Rey's eyes to see Ben wholeheartedly embrace his father, closing his eyes as Han grit his teeth to hold back his emotions. The next thing Rey heard was Leia's weary voice break as she whispered "Oh, Ben," as she rushed to hold him as well. All was now silent in the foyer with the exception of the occasional sniffle, and Rey was content to stare forever at the beautiful scene in front of her, but Han and Leia had other ideas.

Simultaneously, as if they could read each other's minds, they relaxed their grip on their son and turned to face Rey, their eyes red but filled with hope. Leia was the first to reach out, pulling her into an embrace that Han quickly joined that was as strong and warm as Ben's was. Rey couldn't help but cry into their arms, and as the tears flowed down her cheeks, she heard the murmur of two old voices, in sync and lifted up by a relief so powerful it took her breath away.

"Thank you, Rey."

~~~~~~~~~~

_One year later..._

"Why, hello stranger," Rey said seductively upon opening her door to the hottest man in a black suit that she'd ever seen. Even though they'd been dating for a year now, she still enjoyed teasing him with the funny moniker.

Ben couldn't help but raise his eyebrows in utter amazement at the sight of his girlfriend in her knee-length red velvet dress as he looked her up and down before putting his arms around her waist.

"Ma'am, I don't know what you're doing here, but if my girlfriend catches you in my arms like this she's going to kill me."

Rey threw her head back in a fit of giggles before wrapping her arms around his back and giving him a deep tender kiss.

"My boyfriend's not really a jealous guy, so I think we'll be fine. I'm pretty sure I can take her in a fight if it came down to it," she assured him with mock seriousness, resting her hands on his chest.

It was now Ben's turn to laugh, and the sound of his deep chuckle at her jokes never failed to still her heart. 

"Please don't," he teased, his eyes softening. "I love her too much."

Rey gasped loudly in fake indignation, but it was immediately cut off as Ben cupped her face in his hands and kissed her deeply, dipping her back against the door. 

"I promise," Rey breathed, gently rubbing their noses together as she wrapped her arms around his neck. In the next moment Ben lifted her up by the waist and spun her around and out of the doorway towards his car, closing the door behind him.

"Wait, I left my coat on the couch-" Rey protested as she turned back towards the house, but Ben would not relinquish her hand.

"Trust me, you won't be cold," Ben said as he approached his already running car, opening the passenger side door to let her in. 

"Oh, I won't?" Rey asked mischieviously, but Ben kept his lips sealed, smiling as he slid behind the wheel and put the car in drive. To her confusion, Ben took a right out of the driveway instead of the usual left.

"Um, Ben, why are we going back up the mountain?"

"You'll see," he responded cryptically, kissing her hand, and Rey was content to sit back and just enjoy the ride, although she was pretty sure she knew where he was taking her.

The past year had flown by, and Rey and Ben were closer than ever before. On most days he would stop by the garage during lunch break to see her, and after her shift they'd go back to Ben's place for dinner since he always insisted on doing the cooking, to Rey's perpetual delight. Han and Leia were now a fixture in both of their lives, and most of the emnity that used to exist between them and Ben was replaced by more forgiveness, more patience, and greater desire to not take a single day for granted. Not that it was perfect- Han and Ben didn't agree on everything, and they could be quite vocal about it too- but thinking that they might have lost their son did something to Han and Leia, enabling a change of heart that broke through the patterns of guilt, frustration, and mistrust that threatened to tear their family apart. Rey was like the daughter they had always wanted, and Leia couldn't help but drop little hints here and there to Ben about weddings, babies, and any other marriage related topic that she could shoehorn into their conversations whenever she had the chance.

Once the new year began, the Solos invited them over for dinner at least once a month, and holidays once spent alone were now filled with Ben's booming laugh, Leia's newfound cooking, and Han's crazy stories. Though Rey went to see Finn and his family on Christmas Eve, she and Ben spent Christmas Day at his parents' house, opening presents and eating a giant brunch that Leia slaved away over half the morning . Ben loved the black leather jacket Rey got him to replace his old worn out one, but Rey was absolutely floored to see the brand new dark blue SUV parked in Han's garage with a giant red bow on it, just for her. Like he expected, Rey loudly protested accepting it, but when he told her it was a joint gift from him, Han, and Leia, Rey melted into sobs on his chest, making Leia tear up and Han chuckle. 

It was now a couple days after Christmas, and Ben had promised Rey that he was taking her out somewhere special to celebrate their anniversary. He wouldn't specify where, but Rey knew he had a knack for finding the best restaurants, and it was rare that anyone else surprised her, so she let him handle all the details without bugging him even once. The only thing she had to concern herself with, according to Ben, was wearing her favorite dress, and that was easy to choose since he'd only gifted her the velvet dress a month ago for her birthday. 

Just as Rey had guessed, within two minutes Ben was pulling into the driveway of his own house, a chalet-style cabin he had built a few years ago. She couldn't help giggling as Ben announced in a very formal voice, "Welcome to Château de Solo, the very best in upscale dining."

"So, this is what you were keeping under wraps the last few weeks. It's definitely a nice surprise, seeing as you know I've never been here before." Rey said flatly, trying not to smile. 

"Oh ye of little faith," Ben rebuked her, obviously enjoying this as much as possible. "Maybe you'll have some new perspective on this place after tonight."

"Ooooh, interesting!" Rey exclaimed in an exaggerated tone, but Ben merely kept smiling as he parked the car in the garage and unlocked the door leading to the kitchen, letting Rey enter first. Her breath literally hitched as she stepped in, and Ben couldn't help but wrap his arms around her waist from behind and kiss her on the neck as she turned her head to take in the sight that was his house.

All the lights were off, but every countertop, table surface, and fireplace mantlepiece was covered in jars of white burning candles, so that a soft, flickering glow pervaded the whole house, made even more impressive by the light reflected off the giant skylights and floor to ceiling windows. As she walked through the kitchen to get a better look at it all, Rey felt like she was floating through an enchanted land she'd never been before, and she couldn't get her words to exclaim her amazement out fast enough. 

"Oh my goodness Ben, what is this? This is incredible! How long did it take you to-"

"Shhh," Ben said softly as he put his index finger up to his lips, taking her by the hand. "There's something I want to show you."

In the middle of Ben's enormous living room on top of the hardwood floor, there was a ring of candles with red rose petals surrounding the most picture perfect picnic that Rey had ever seen. On a fluffy white blanket there were two cloche-covered plates, a set of champagne flutes, and a couple of bottles of Dom Perignon sitting on ice. Rey threw her hands up to her face, covering her mouth with her hands in complete shock. Ben couldn't see her eyes well in the low light, but he could hear her the faint sound of her sniffling, and while he hoped it was a good sign, his heart ached too much hearing her cry to be left guessing.

"Do you like it? I'm sorry if it's not what you expected-"

"No, Ben, please," Rey protested, turning towards him as she hastily wiped the corner of her eyes. Thankfully, her drugstore waterproof mascara was still holding up. "I can't believe you did all this for me. I love it. I wouldn't change it for anything. There's no restaurant or club out there that you could take me to that I'd rather be in tonight. This is like a fairy tale brought to life."

Hearing those words Ben sighed in relief and took Rey in his arms, holding her tight against his chest. "I'm so glad you like it. Sweeping you off your feet was pretty much what I was aiming for. I have to admit though, for a moment there I thought you were genuinely upset at me."

"Are you crazy?!" Rey exclaimed, laughing. "You outdid yourself tonight. I can't tell you how much I love it."

"That's alright," Ben murmured, taking her face into his hands and giving her a brief but smoldering kiss. Rey noticed right after that his expression sudenly changed, a new intensity burning in his eyes that sent shivers down her back. "I know."

Ben wasn't expecting Rey to lunge towards him, but there they suddenly were, frantically making out in the candlelight. It took every ounce of self-control he had just to stop. 

"I hate to interrupt your wonderful advances, but I do have one more surprise left to show you," he managed to pant out, but Rey had to get one last kiss in before letting go.

"Thank you," Rey said softly as she caught her breath and took a step back, taking Ben's hand. 

Without another word, he led her through the sliding glass door that opened to the deck and took his suit jacket off, placing it over her shoulders as they leaned against the wooden rail. It had snowed a few inches the day before Christmas Eve, so the entire backyard with its majestic pines and tall birches was dressed up as a sparkling winter wonderland made center stage by a glorious full moon. 

Rey was so fixed staring at its silent splendor that she didn't even see Ben pull out a folded white envelope from his pocket. When she turned to tell him how beautiful everything looked, she was surprised to see him holding it up to his chest, a serious look on his face. 

Rey smirked, a little confused at what was happening. "Um, Ben, what's in that envelope? Please tell me it's a winning lottery ticket," she teased.

"No, it's something much better. At least I hope you think it is," Ben said, a hint of nervousness in his voice. It was beginning to dawn on Rey that there might be something really important in his hand, but before she could figure out the possibilities he continued on.

"Rey, you know that I love you, and no matter what you want to do, I'll be there to support you in it. But there's something I've been thinking about for a while. And I didn't tell you this, but yesterday I had a talk with my dad. And, well...go ahead and open the envelope."

By now Rey was grinning so big in suspense that Ben let out a chuckle in relief. Before he could hand it over Rey snatched it away, nearly giving herself a papercut in her haste to open it. Inside were several sheets of paper folded up, but it didn't take reading past the first paragraph for the reality to dawn on her.

"Ben, this is a contract."

"Yes."

"For Solo Auto Care."

"Yes," Ben repeated, grinning even wider.

"For a partnership," Rey breathed, as if she couldn't believe what she had just read.

"A partnership," Ben agreed, taking her hands into his. "Han offered the garage to me again, but this time he suggested you and I do it together. What he didn't know was, I'd already been thinking about it for months, just waiting for the right moment. And I think it's now."

Rey paused, still overcome by the shock of his proposal, causing Ben to fear he'd put too much pressure on her. His cheeks flushed as he quickly backtracked.

"I know, you still have school to finish, and co-owning a garage isn't exactly a dream job, and there's probably a million other things you'd rather be doing, but..." Ben took a breath, and it seemed as if something was crystalizing in his mind, his hesitance fleeing from a stronger resolution.

"I know that you and I would make a good team. With my experience in business, and your brilliance in mechanics and engineering, we could really make something big. We wouldn't have to stop at just Han's old garage. We could make it whatever we wanted to."

"Either way," he intoned gently, kissing her palms, "there's no pressure. I'd only want this if it was something you really wanted too."

Rey's mind had been racing during the entirety of Ben's speech, but there was no need to try to change her mind. Her heart had been soaring from the minute she had opened that envelope, and it was so evident now on her face that Ben could have kissed her before waiting for her to speak. Luckily Ben didn't have to wait too long.

"Yes," Rey exclaimed on the verge of laughter, and that was all it took. Ben scooped her lips up into his as he took her into his arms, thrilled to his core, but the sudden recollection of a different proposal in Ben's mind brought their embrace to a sudden stop as he relinquished her lips and pulled her back from the railing. 

"Ben, what are you-"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to give you whiplash, but there's something else I remembered."

As if he had it perfectly timed it began to snow, a slow sprinkling of flakes that dusted their clothes and made Rey's eyes sparkle in delight.

"You know, if it hadn't snowed the night we met, I probably wouldn't have crashed my car, and we probably never would have seen each other again."

"Probably," Rey agreed. "We didn't make the best first impression with each other."

"You can say it, I was a total jerk."

" _Was_ ," Rey smirked, taking his hand in hers.

"I don't know what I did to deserve crashing into your front yard, but I'll always be grateful for it."

At this Rey began to laugh, but Ben wasn't finished.

"No, I'm serious. It was literally the knock to my head that I needed. My life was a mess. And I was about to walk away from it all. You woke me up and showed me a better way. And I can't tell you how much I love you for that."

By now the deck was entirely coated in snow, but Ben didn't care. Slowly, purposefully, he got down on one knee and took a small black box out of his pants pocket. This time, Rey figured out what it was almost instantly, her hand flying up to her mouth in shock.

"Rey, you're the most wonderful person I've ever known. I don't want us just to be business partners. I want to love you as your husband for the rest of my life, and make you as happy as you've made me."

Gently Ben popped open the box, and Rey literally gasped, the biggest smile forming on her lips. It was the most beautiful ring she'd ever seen. Every facet seemed to sparkle intensely in the bright moonlight. 

"My grandfather proposed to my grandmother with this ring. My mother gave it to me when I told her of my plans."

"Oh Ben, it's so gorgeous. I can't believe it."

Without waiting for her answer Ben took the ring out of the box and slipped it on her finger, kissing it when he was done. He wrapped her in his arms, leaned his head down, and whispered into her ear "Sweetheart, I love you. Will you marry me?"

Suddenly, it was all too much. Tears of happiness, tears of relief ran down her face as she whispered back a very emphatic "yes" through her hushed sobs. Ben's heart swelled at this, and he pulled back to look at her face, wiping away the stray tears and melting snowflakes with his thumbs before kissing her soundly. 

"You'll never be alone," he murmured, recalling the words he had spoken to her on Christmas Eve the year before, an unspoken promise he couldn't wait to fulfill, a dream he never wanted to wake from. Rey's face broke out into the most brilliant smile, for she knew in her heart it was true and nothing would ever change it; they would be there for each other for the rest of their lives, never to be alone again. 

"Neither will you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading my first finished reylo fic! Every hit, comment, and kudos meant so much to me! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you did, then I hope you'll follow my other WIP "Is It You", a Somewhere In Time AU. 
> 
> Much love,
> 
> Theresa


End file.
